It is a tremendous privilege for me to be here with you today. I want you to know how profoundly I feel that privilege. For that matter, it is a great privilege for Sister Peterson and me to serve here in these beautiful islands, but today we are especially pleased to be here at BYU-Hawaii.
I pray the Lord's choicest blessings upon you as you continue to make some of life's most critical decisions relative to which major to pursue, what career to embark on, and most importantly for those of you who are single, whom you should marry. I know that God will not leave you to make those decisions alone unless that is the path you choose for yourself. Like any good dad, He is waiting and willing to help His children. For you young men here today who have not yet married, your goal should be to marry as far over your head as I did. You didn't get to hear a lot from my sweet wife today, but I have been privileged to have her at my side now for 34 years. Much of what I have been able to accomplish I can attribute to her undying love and support, and our children and grandchildren are constantly blessed by her goodness. I would pray for a similar companion for each of you who are still searching.
Being here today on this beautiful campus is a homecoming for me. Almost exactly 38 years ago, on November 13, 1969, I arrived in Laie to begin serving my mission. In those days, the Asian-Pacific LTM, which was the forerunner for the MTC, was right here at what was then known as The Church College of Hawaii. I lived in the dorms and ate at the same cafeteria as the students who were then attending college here.
I spent two months learning Japanese, or at least I thought I had learned some Japanese. We memorized lessons in those days and I had memorized all six of the missionary discussions in Japanese and was feeling better about myself than perhaps I really should have been feeling. Reality hit me in the face when we landed in Tokyo. Not only could we not understand a word anyone was saying, but it dawned on us that although we could tell someone the Joseph Smith story, we didn't even know how to ask where the restroom was located!
Well, at any rate, during my two months here in late 1969 and 1970, I gained a great love for this island and for the people who live here. That experience also gave me license to say that I have been educated at two BYU campuses, since I returned home from Japan and earned my bachelor's degree from the Provo campus of BYU.
I have a great love for the youth of the Church and have been blessed to serve with them for most of my life, including my current calling as a mission president. Maybe the Lord just knew that I would do better with kids than with adults! But whatever the reasons, I am grateful that things worked out as they did because the youth of the Church have enriched my life so very much. You are indeed a choice and chosen generation, those who have been saved by the Lord to come forth when the challenges are as great as they have ever been. The world we live in poses difficulties beyond what any other generation in the history of the world has faced. And yet, God knew that you would be up to the challenge and so He held you in reserve, that you might come to earth at this time when the world so badly needs your goodness. You are following Paul's admonition to "be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, [meaning conduct and behavior], in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12) You are "virtuous, lovely, of good report and praiseworthy" and thus the world and the Church will be in good hands when, in the very near future, it will be your turn to lead.
The story is told of a man who was being tailgated by a woman on Foothill Boulevard in Salt Lake City, Utah. Suddenly, the light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman slammed on the brakes and leaned on the horn. She opened her window, stuck her hand out and made a gesture, all the while screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer.
The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, making an obscene gesture to the man in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose The Right' license plate holder, the 'Families are Forever' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Angel Moroni emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen it!"
Brothers and sisters, this story proves the point that when it comes to demonstrating how much the gospel really means to us, our actions will speak far louder than our words.
After the resurrection of Christ, He was teaching His disciples of old one day on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. John records the following, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
"He saith unto him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
"He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17).
Well, brothers and sisters, this teaching was not just for Peter, nor was it just for ancient or current-day apostles. As we liken all scripture unto ourselves, this commandment applies to each of us today. The Savior was talking to every person who has been blessed to hear the gospel and is a member of His Church. We are the shepherds and have been admonished by the Lord Himself to "feed" those around us who are spiritually undernourished. To the admonition given to Peter, we can add the Lord's words to the Prophet Joseph Smith as found in the Doctrine and Covenants wherein we read: "Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor." (D&C 88:81)
To the scriptures we just read from the New Testament and the Doctrine & Covenants, let me add a quote from the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said, "After all that has been said, our greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel." With that injunction from the prophet of the Restoration, I would ask for your faith and prayers this morning as we discuss this "most important duty."
Given my current assignment, it seems only fitting that we should spend a little time discussing missionary work and how sharing the message of the Restoration blesses the lives of both the person hearing the message as well as the person doing the sharing.
Several years ago, then Elder Henry B. Eyring, now President Eyring, gave an inspired talk in general conference that has haunted me to an extent. He talked about our obligation to spread this wonderful gospel message to those we know and love. He quoted the same scripture from the Doctrine & Covenants that I referenced earlier counseling us to warn our "neighbors," (D&C 88:81) and then said, "The Lord would not use the word warn if there is no danger. Yet not many people we know sense it. They have learned to ignore the increasing evidence that society is unraveling and that their lives and family lack the peace they once thought was possible. That willingness to ignore the signs of danger can make it easy for you to think: Why should I speak to anyone about the gospel who seems content? What danger is there to them or to me if I do or say nothing?
Elder Eyring continued, "Well, the danger may be hard to see, but it is real, both for them and for us. For instance, at some moment in the world to come, everyone you will ever meet will know, they will know what you know now. They will know that the only way to live forever in association with our families and in the presence of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, was to choose to enter into the gate by baptism at the hands of those with authority from God. They will know that the only way families can be together forever is to accept and keep sacred covenants offered in the temples of God on this earth. And they will know that you knew. And they will remember whether you offered them what someone had offered you." (October 1998 General Conference)
Since I first heard that talk, I have often wondered who I have missed. Are there friends, neighbors and acquaintances who could possibly come up to me in the next life and ask why I didn't share with them what had been shared with me? It has given me cause for great reflection and hopefully it will continue to do so throughout the rest of my life.
In 1982 I was working for the telephone company in Denver, Colorado. My assignment at the time was to be part of a four-person team which was an interesting mix of individuals. Our leader was a man who was serving as the bishop of his ward. I was serving as a counselor in my own ward bishopric. One of the other two was a man who was a great co-worker but not the least bit religious. The fourth member of the team was a woman named Anna. Anna was very talented, strong-willed and a wonderful contributor to our team, and she also had some strongly held religious beliefs. As a team, we traveled extensively and thus we not only spent a lot of time together during the day, but we often worked long hours at night as well. As you might guess, with two very engaged Mormons and two other unbaptized, strong willed individuals, we had some very interesting conversations over dinner, in airports and in other places. I began to develop a great respect for Anna. She didn't have the light of the gospel in her life, but she was trying so hard to be a good person and a good mother to her children.
After 18 months or so our little group was disbanded and we all accepted other positions with the company in Denver. Although I didn't see and talk with Anna as often as when we were traveling and working together, our paths did cross quite frequently and occasionally the conversation would turn to religion.
Due to the long talks the four of us had together, Anna had picked up a lot of information about the Church. She had also been fed some very inaccurate information by her brother-in-law, who was a minister for another church in the Denver area. At that time, the so-called "Golden Questions" were all the rage: "What do you know about the Mormon Church?" and "Would you like to know more?" Although I thought about it often, I never had asked Anna those questions.
One day Anna came to my office and we were talking about business. Suddenly, I felt very impressed to ask about her interest in the Church. So, to some extent out of the blue, I said, "Anna, is there some reason why you wouldn't want to have the missionaries come to your home and teach you about our church?" Then, as many of you can relate to, I held my breath and waited for her answer. To my great joy, she responded that she would be very interested in listening to the missionaries and, in fact, she had wondered if I was ever going to invite her to church or to learn more about what we believe!
In the weeks that followed, Sister Peterson and I had the great privilege of sitting with Anna and her two daughters, sometimes in her home and sometimes in ours, as Elders Christensen and Driscoll taught her the gospel. It was a marvelous experience to watch the Holy Ghost work on Anna's heart. I remember distinctly the first time Anna came to church. Because I was in the bishopric I was on the stand and of course, the meeting didn't go as perfectly as I would have liked--many of you can relate to that as well. Things were said that I wished had not have been said, including way too much about Heavenly Mother! I noticed Anna was taking copious notes, and after the meeting we spent some time discussing what she had seen and felt. Fortunately, she was able to look beyond the things that went awry and focused on the spirit that she felt in the meeting.
On Mother's Day 1982, I was privileged to baptize Anna and her two daughters, Merry and Colleen. Anna jumped right in and was extremely active from the day of her baptism. Now, that's not the end of this story. Nine months later, my company transferred me back to Salt Lake and we built the home in which we were living when we were called to serve here in Hawaii. Our closest neighbor at that time was a single man with several children. One day, several months after we moved in, we were sitting right behind this man in church and I had the strongest impression that I should try to line him up with Anna. I knew he was quite a bit older, and Anna was still living in Denver, so I dismissed the prompting. A couple of weeks later a similar thing happened and this time I decided to follow the prompting. I went to this man's home and asked him how he felt about younger women. He asked, "How much younger?" I said, "17 years younger!" He looked at me with a strange look, but said he would be willing to give it a try. Well, we lined Leo and Anna up and a few months later my father-in-law sealed Anna to Leo Romero in the Jordan River Temple. They have now been married for over 23 years. They have had 3 sons together, all of whom have served missions. Oh, and by the way, Anna is the Relief Society president in our ward at home!
In the Doctrine and Covenants we are taught that "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with [her] in the kingdom of my Father!" (D&C 18:15) I can testify that this scripture is true. My joy truly is great every time I look at Anna and recognize all that she has done and the woman she has become. She truly is a marvelous work and a wonder!
I believe we often think of missionary work as something that for the most part involves 19-21 year old young men, along with a few 21-year-old young women and some wonderful senior couples.
The truth is that missionaries cannot ultimately be successful without the loving participation and spiritual support of us as members of the Church. President Hinckley has said, "My heart reaches out to you missionaries. You simply cannot do it alone and do it well. You must have the help of others. That power to help lies within each of us...My brethren and sisters, we can let the missionaries try to do it alone, or we can help them. If they do it alone, they will knock on doors day after day and the harvest will be meager. Or as members, we can assist them in finding and teaching investigators." (Ensign, May 1999, 104)
With regard to members helping in the teaching of investigators, let me share a couple of experiences from recent converts here on Oahu. First, here is part of the conversion experience of a young man who was recently baptized in our mission. He wrote this: "I met the missionaries in March 2006. Normally, I would hide from them until they left, but this day I was caught off guard, sitting right next to the door (and a huge window), watching TV. I didn't want to look dumb, running and hiding when they had already seen me, so I decided to talk to them. I wanted to tell them I wasn't interested, but two things stopped me. The first thing was that they continued to talk most of the time and I never had a chance to tell them I wasn't interested. The second thing that blocked me was that every time they gave me an opening to speak, they would do it by asking me a question which I felt like answering. Well, after talking, we planned to meet again a few days later and discuss what I had read in the Book of Mormon which they had given to me. Sadly, I had no intention of ever talking to them again.
"I was able to avoid them for a month or two. I thought I had finally gotten them off my back when out of nowhere, they showed up and I was caught off guard again. Since I was out of school for the summer, I had more time so I started meeting with the missionaries and having the lessons.
"The next step was to get me to church and I had no intention of going to church. My main reason for not wanting to go was the fact that I would be alone in a new place and I'm a very shy guy. I'm not sure if the missionaries could sense this, but they started bringing members of the Church with them for our lessons. I believe the first three people were all guys who were returned missionaries. I still didn't go to church, so my missionaries decided to bring out their secret weapon and brought one of the most beautiful girls I had ever seen in my life to my lesson! Without holding back, they brought two more beautiful girls to my next lesson so there was nothing stopping me now from attending church at least once."
Well, this young man did attend church and he was immediately surrounded by loving, caring ward members and he started attending church every week. He even joined the ward choir before he was ever baptized. He continues to be a faithful member today.
A second experience involves Kapili Kahaliki, a young man on this island who was caught up in a lot of bad things and was on a path that was leading to a lifetime of heartbreak. As Kapili looked around, he noticed a few other kids, who weren't part of his circle of friends. They seemed to have something he didn't have. They didn't do the bad things he did and they seemed happy. He was far from happy and decided that things needed to change in his life. He talked to some of his closest friends and convinced them that they all needed to change--and they did. Earlier this spring, five of these young men investigated the church and got baptized together. Subsequently, five more have joined the church as a result of the influence of this band of brothers in the gospel. Several of them are planning on serving missions and are a great strength to their ward family. Their story started with the example and countenance of joy on the faces of some good LDS kids.
It now continues with those five boys who have been blessed by the gospel sharing it with their family and friends so they all can have the same opportunity for "peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come." (D&C 59:23)
In Alma we read "Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God." (Alma 6:6). As evidence of the great good that can come from members of the Church fasting and praying for missionary work, let me tell you about the 40-day Fast recently completed here in Laie. One of our zone leaders, Elder Rose, brought this idea with him from a previous area where he had served. Many of you participated in this marvelous effort, and the results have been amazing. In the weeks leading up to the fasting and prayers, the work in Laie was somewhat slow-- investigators were hard to come by and getting them to attend sacrament meeting was harder still. Since the fast, the number of investigators has increased dramatically and the number of investigators attending sacrament meeting has nearly tripled including one week where there were 38 in attendance between the 5 stakes here in Laie. The letters from my missionaries have been full of testimony that the fasting and prayers of the members here in Laie has indeed called down the blessings of heaven upon this part of the island and much good will yet come from that consecrated effort.
We often undersell our ability to be an influence for good in the lives of those around us who don't have the gospel in their lives. As we live the gospel and our everyday lives reflect the joy, happiness and love that we feel as members of this church and kingdom, it will cause others to take notice. I have had that experience, as I am sure you have.
Three years ago Sister Peterson and I had the chance to return back to Japan, where I had served my mission as a young man. We went back with another couple, and he, too, had served in Japan. One day we were in the main Tokyo train station. I am guessing that those of you from Japan have been in Tokyo Eki many times. It is a very large and busy place, and each day literally millions of people pass through on their commute to and from work or school. On this particular day we were looking for a native Japanese sister missionary, Sister Ishikawa, who had served with our friend those many years earlier. We knew which platform she would be on, but I had never seen her or even seen a picture of her. We scanned the crowd, and then, in the middle of tens of thousands of people, and about 150 feet away, I saw her. She had not yet spotted us, but even at that distance, surrounded by thousands of other Japanese people, it was very evident that she was Sister Ishikawa. The light emanating from her eyes was so obvious and the glow of her countenance so radiant that she was impossible to miss.
"In latter-day revelation, the Lord has said, "...unto all the ...people of my Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in the world. Verily I say unto you all: Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." (D&C 115:3,5)
The joy we find in the restored gospel is reflected in the light emanating from our eyes. It is felt, spirit to spirit, by friends, neighbors, and classmates. It will cause them to inquire as to why we seem so at peace in a very unpeaceful world. My assistants recently had an experience that bears this out. Occasionally they go to a Vietnamese restaurant close to our office in Honolulu.
Being the good missionaries they are, they contact everyone, including every waitress who ventures close. They had been served by a young woman and had attempted to share a gospel message with her on a few occasions, but she had not shown any interest.
One day a few weeks ago, these elders were eating dinner when this waitress came over to their table and simply said, "OK, I'm not happy! Why are you so happy?" She could tell there was something different about them; that they had something she didn't have. She is currently attending church and being taught by missionaries in Honolulu.
The Lord expects us to use the example of our very lives to cause others to want what we have. As the Lord told Alma and the sons of Mosiah, "Go forth...that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." (Alma 17:11) It is my testimony that these words are just as applicable in our day as they were when those young men took the gospel to the Lamanites.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has counseled us that we shouldn't sit and wait for a really good missionary opportunity to come along. He said this: "We can also pray daily for our own personal missionary experiences. Pray that under the divine management of such things, the missionary opportunity you want is already being prepared in the heart of someone who longs for and looks for what you have. 'There are many yet on the earth...who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.' Pray that they will find you! And then be alert, because there are multitudes in your world who feel a famine in their lives, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord." (Ensign, May 2001, 14)
I am not sure that we always give as much attention to the redeeming work of reactivating those who are already baptized. I believe that in God's way of looking at things, a soul saved is a soul saved, whether that soul be a new convert or a less-active member reclaimed. If we carefully consider reactivation work, it seems clear that our work among those who have known some light, are already members and have made sacred covenants at least at baptism and possibly in connection with priesthood ordinations and temple ordinances, is in some ways as important as what we might term "conventional" missionary work. Through the covenants they have made, they have accountability before the Lord. It would behoove us to do all in our power to help them return to those covenants as quickly as possible and regain the blessings God has promised them. As you continue with your education here at [BYU-Hawaii] and then throughout the rest of your life, be aware of friends or family members who have drifted away from the gospel for a time. Your loving but bold invitation to come back may be just the catalyst that will help them begin their journey back into the light of gospel living. Said the Lord, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; ... and how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!" (D&C 18:10, 13)
I would offer a word or two of counsel today to those of you here at BYU-Hawaii who are returned missionaries. You may not have understood it at the time, but your stewardship was not just for two years. I firmly believe that because of the special relationship that usually develops between a missionary and the people they teach, our stewardship as returned missionaries is a lifelong privilege and obligation. You are often in the best position to continue to succor and nourish those you taught and brought into the light of the gospel. You may have been released from full-time missionary service, but I don't believe you are ever released from shepherding those sheep who came to know and trust your voice in your field of labor. I would encourage you to maintain contact with them throughout your life and do all in your power to help them continue to cling tightly to the iron rod.
Furthermore, you returned missionaries have finely honed skills as a missionary and you should continue to find every opportunity to use the skills and knowledge you paid such a dear price to obtain. Incumbent in that responsibility is the need to continue to look and act the part.
You may not be able to adhere rigidly to the daily missionary schedule and I certainly hope that you are dating, but don't let your physical appearance and spirituality go downhill just because you are no longer wearing a nametag. Continue to look for opportunities to share the gospel, just as you looked for them on your mission. The field you are currently in is different than where you served full-time, but nonetheless it is a field that "is white already to harvest."
A couple of months ago one of my sister missionaries returned home after serving a wonderful mission. Prior to leaving, she shared the following story with me:
"My companion and I were walking down the street in Mililani when a man came running up to us exclaiming, "I knew it was you!" He was a friend I had grown up with all through junior high and high school. He asked what we were doing here in Hawaii and we explained we were serving missions. He, in turn, shared that he was leaving for Iraq in a few days. As he turned to walk away I asked him one of the inspired questions we use in contacting people for the first time. I said, "Wait, has anyone ever told you what the Book of Mormon is?" He turned around very curious and replied, "No. I have always wondered what it is." We shared with him what the Book of Mormon is and how we came to have it through a living prophet. He asked if he could have one and promised that he would definitely read it while he was in Iraq. As he turned to leave he said words I will never forget. "Hey, why didn't you ever tell me about this before? I grew up playing sports with your brothers and cousins. I lived just down the street from you. Instead, I'm thousands of miles across an ocean hearing it from you in Hawaii. If it is so important that you're willing to serve missions to tell people about it, why didn't you ever tell me?" And then he walked away.
That story makes these words the apostle Paul wrote to his friend, Timothy, ring true in our hearts, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord..." (2 Tim 1:7-8)
With regard to member missionary work, our beloved prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has said, "Let there be cultivated an awareness in every member's heart of his own potential for bringing others to a knowledge of the truth. Let him work at it. Let him pray with great earnestness about it." (Ensign, May 1999, 106) In a subsequent address he said, "It will be a great day when our people not only pray for the missionaries throughout the world, but ask the Lord to help them to assist the missionaries who are laboring in their own ward" ("Missionary Service," First Worldwide Leadership Training Meeting, Jan. 2003, 19). I sustain President Hinckley as prophet, seer and revelator, love him with all of my heart, and pray that we will follow this counsel.
Because of the covenants we have made and the blessings of the gospel we have received, we are under obligation to help all of God's children enjoy the ordinances of salvation--this includes those who may have walked away from their covenants for a time. I hear about miracles in missionary work on these islands virtually every day and I bear witness that God's hand is in this work. After all, brothers and sisters, it is "[His] work and [His] glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) He expects us to be the laborers in the vineyard, whether that be talking with our friends, fellow students and co-workers here at BYU, or finding the lost sheep in these beautiful islands of Hawaii. May God continue to bless us in this great work of taking the gospel to all of His children.
I know that God lives and loves each of His children--those currently in the Church and those not yet blessed with the gospel in their lives. I bear witness of His marvelous Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. As promised in the revelations, when you engage in missionary work and reactivation work, "[He] will go before your face. [He] will be on your right hand and on your left, and [His] Spirit shall be in your hearts, and [His] angels round about you, to bear you up." (D&C 84:88) This is His Church and His Kingdom here on the earth. He is our Savior and Redeemer. These things I know to be true. I leave you with my love, my great admiration for all the good you are doing. I also leave you with these words from a beloved hymn that have comforted me throughout my life:
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
(Hymns, 85, How Firm a Foundation, verse 3)
May it ever be so I pray, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.